For the second time in a row, Italy has topped the medal table at the European Athletics Championships. With a total of 22 medals (ten of them gold) Italy pipped host nation Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the top spot. Once a nation of footballers – having won the World Cup four times – now Italy is showing itself to be a nation of runners and jumpers.
There are a few explanations for how this has happened. First, Italy offers a distinctive form of public support to its athletes. Many elite sportsmen and women are employed by state security forces.
